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The coolest thing about being 'Uncle Mikey' has to be a similar joy to being a grandparent. You get to hang out with the kids, spoil them a bit, play the 'cool' role, hang out for a few days, help out with some simple chores and tasks, and then go home, hopefully with everyone wanting more. |
it's funny how the apple never falls far from the tree: this is an almost
carbon copy pose of Gen's formative years at KCAI, pictured behind the little pouty one. | LIFE WITH KIDS
Of course kids carry super deadly germs that most adults who haven't yet built up an immunity can't handle at all. That's just part of the unadvertised joys of children, along with the surreal wake-up time of 6 am, with full throttle activity well before dawn.You should also never make the mistake of accidentally turning on Veggie Tales and making comments about eating vegetables, because really, that show will turn little innocent children into hedonistic lambs of God.
While out one day on a quick shopping trip to Target, cool Uncle Mikey ran off with little E. straight to the toy section. I was acutely aware it was weeks before Christmas, but I figured adding a bit of anxiety to her mom's life would be a fun little social experiment. I wandered through the toy section, led by the inquisitive child, who luckily, seemed interested in some of the more imaginative toys outside the normal dolls and sweet things girls play with.
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Ready to spend a few dollars to make this child happy, I found a seemingly innocent, constructive and imagination laden toy that I could buy that followed simple rules of sanity that I thought were applicable: 1) the toy couldn't have buzzers, beeps, bells or batteries
2) it wasn't produced as an ad for a cartoon show or Disney feature
3) a two and four year old could share and play with it
4) it would be easy to clean up.
Well, as an under-utilized uncle, hitting on three of four of those really seemed like hitting a home run, but for Mom and Dad, introducing Moon Sand to the household's ecosystem probably wasn't the most thought out plan, but it honestly seemed like a really good idea at the time and in my defense, received Gen's begrudging approval somewhere in the pants section of the boy's department. |
YO GABBA GABBA
I'm not sure where to begin. Perhaps by explaining I was raised on a more than healthy dose of Warner Bros. cartoons, Captain Kangaroo, Electric Company and Mister Rogers. It's been almost thirty years now since I was watching those programs, and although times have changed, yet my love and respect for those shows hasn't waned at all.
Flash forward to late 2007, surrounded by two children, four and two, who introduced me to Yo Gabba Gabba (translation from children-ese provided by Gen, with a smirk and a snide, 'Uncle Mikey, you don't know what Yo Gabba Gabba is???').
Let's just say this show, with its slick production values, tongue in cheek dance steps done by over stimulated five year olds, and bits featuring Biz Markee, the hobbit from Lord of the Rings, and Leslie Hall does make for some interesting entertainment, especially the Atari-like segues between bits. It's child rearing for hipsters, and the
kids just love it.
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THE LATEST
STORIES...
+ IRON MAN AND MY IGNORANCE
my trouble with Hollywood continues
+ A TRIP TO KANSAS CITY
Thanksgiving with friends and the cold
+ SNEAK PREVIEW
at Tales of the Really White Vigilante #2
COMING SOON:
+ HOME BEFORE DARK
A depressing trip through the mind of artists
+ NORTH(EAST)ERN EXPOSURE
My two month sabbatical in the North
+ THINGS TO DO IN DENVER
The splendor of Colorado
ALREADY THERE:
+ TALES OF THE
REALLY WHITE VIGILANTE
the tale of one young man's attempts
to stop the gentrification of East Austin
a 62 page comic book.
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| ARCHIVE | | |
ONGOING AND UPCOMING SHOWS
2008
MAY 10-11
Alter Ego Show
Gallery DV8 2300 East 16th, Austin, Texas
nearly thirty Austin artists explore their other sides
JUNE - JULY
Tales of the Really White Vigilante, Volume 2
our intrepid hero battles hipsters, SXSW and battles his own demons
NOVEMBER
Solo Painting Show
my first complete solo
show since April, 2006 with all new works
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